Snap action sadiron lift



INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

G BROWNING SNAP ACTION SADIRON LIFT Filed Ray 29, 1948 June 23, 1953Patented June 23, 1 953 SNAP ACTION SADIRON LIFT George Browning,Wilmette, Ill., assignor to Sunbeam Corporation, Chicago, 111., acorporation of Illinois Application May 29, 1948, Serial No. 29,972

14 Claims. (01. 38-79) This invention relates to flatirons and moreparticularly to novel support means for a flatiron that is capable ofmaintaining the fiatiron, when temporarily out of use, in a raisedposition above an ironing board or work surface.

In certain types of fiatirons it is the usual practice to set the ironup on its rear end on the ironing baord when the ironing operation istemporarily stopped. This practice is objectionable in several respectsin that it causes wear and strain on the cord which is twisted more than90 from its normal position; it exposes the entire heating surface ofthe sole plate so that it may be brushed against by the user's arm; andthis up-ended position is relatively unstable whereby the iron may falloff the ironing board, thus presenting a further hazard especially tosmall children. Furthermore, certain types of steam irons cannot beup-ended in the conventional manner without creating an undesirablecondition in the water reservoir. It is preferable, therefore, that inthe out-of-use position the iron be tipped only slightly and not all theWay back over its rear end. However, supporting mechanism conventionallyemployed for this purpose are relatively complicated and expensiveconsidering the competitive nature of this class of merchandise sincethey include latching and unlatching mechanisms requiring manualmanipulation on the part of the user.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a relativelysimple fiatiron support means which avoids the use of complicated andexpensive latching mechanisms and which avoids the necessity of theoperator performing conscious mental manipulations, such as depressinglatch release buttons and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide support means whichutilizes a snap spring system arranged to permit the iron to snap intoan inclined elevated position with respect to a support member after apreselected upward tilting of the iron about its rear edge is effectedand which permits the support member to snap into a a retracted positionafter a preselected down- Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top view of thesupport member alone;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of Fig. 2 taken online 4-4 showing the overcenter snap mechanism and the support in itsretracted position;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4 showing the support in its extendedor supporting position;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the overcenter spring systemtaken on line 66 of Figs. 2 and 4, and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of Fig. 6 takenyon line l'l.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the flatiron comprises abody generally designated I and a handle 2 fixedly secured thereto, thelatter carrying the heat regulating control wheel 3. These areconventional and form no part of the present invention except as theymay be employed in combination therewith.

The body I comprises the usual sole plate 4 and cover 6 which in thepresent instance extends beyond the rear of the sole plate to provide arearwardly extending hood 1 for a snap acting mechanism utilized for apurpose to be hereinafter described.

The body I is pivctally mounted at its rear end on a support formaintaining the iron in an inclined elevated position as shown in Figure1 and generally designated by the numeral 8. In the present instance thesupport 8 is formed by a U-shaped member (see Fig. 3) having a bridgingportion 8a disposed beneath the hood "I at the rear of the iron and apair of forwardly extending legs 9 shaped to be received in edgerecesses II formed along opposite sides of the bottom of the sole plate.When the support 8 is in a retracted position as shown in Fig. 2 itsbottom surface I2 is substantially flush or slightly recessed withrespect to the bottom surface I3 of the sole plate 4 so that the ironmay pass readily over a work piece I4 such as a cloth on an ironingboard or the like. One edge of the bridging portion 8a is folded back onitself to form an upper portion I6 (see Fig. 4) extending toward thefront end of the iron and having a pair of spaced downwardly facinggrooves I! formed on its underside. Between the grooves I! is anadjusting screw I8 threaded through the upper portion I6 and having apivot point I9 projecting above the upper portion I6. A hole 2| in thelower portion of the bridging portion 8a provides access to the screw I8for adjustment purposes.

A bracket 22 having a generally L-shaped cross I section is mounted atthe rear of the iron and on. top of the sole plate 4 as by spot weldingso that 6) to define spaced portions 29 each terminating in an upwardlyfacing knife edge 3| pix/totally disposed respectively in the grooves I!on' the upper" portion !6 of the bridging. member 8m, Inter posedbetween the top portion ofrtheabracketldand the adjusting screw I8 is aresilient compression member 32. In the present. instance the.

compression member comprises a'flat sheet of spring material folded backon itself andihaving a generally rectangular shaped top leaf 33 and agenerally triangular shaped bottom leaf 34. The top leaf is formed withgrooves 35 shaped to pivotally receive knife edges 28 as shown in. Fig.6 and the lower leaf has adepression 3'! pivotally receiving anadjusting. screw point [9. Thisconstruc'tion provides a three pointsupportfor the spring member 32 and insures that the spring member 32 isin a stably assembled position.

It. is to'be understood that the resilient member 32, the bracket 24 andthe. adjusting screw 18 define an overcenter snap spring system. Thespring system hasan axis of maximum stress with alternate positions ofreduced stress. The axis of maximumstress in this instance is defined byalinement. of the knife edges Z8 and 3| and pivot, point l9 andindicated by the broken line AA.in Figs. 4 and 5.

The operation of the support means is as follows: Assume that the ironis heated and in use. When it is desired to temporarily discontinueironing it is only necessary to grasp the handle 2 and tip the frontportion of the iron upwardly while keeping the rear portion of. the ironin engagement with the work surface. The front end of the iron need onlybe raised upwardly with respect to the support 8 until the pivot edges28 of the bracket 24'; are moved slightly tothe right of. the line AA asviewed in Fig. 4. The snap spring system then being in an unstableposition moves the'iron with a snap-action to itsfinal inclined positionshown in Figs. 1- and 5. The iron will be stably maintained in itsinclined position aslong as desired. When it is desired to continuironing the handle is grasped and the front end of the'iron is pusheddownwardly until the pivot edges 28 move slightly to the left of theaxis A-A as viewed inFig. 4. Thereafterthe. spring system being in anunstable position movesthe support 8 upward with a snap movement to itsretractedposition in which the legs 9 are received in the grooves l lformed on the bottom of the soleplate.

The screw l8 serves the dual purpose of providing a convenient means forassembling and disassembling the spring system as well as adjusting thecompression of springv 32: to any desired value.

The present. invention provides asupporting mechanism for flatironswherein the user has. only to tilt the iron slightly backward. againstthe working surface whereby the iron automatiecally positions itself toan inclined position in whicht-he sole-plate ismoved out of contact witha working surface. Moreover when it is, desired to re-use the iron allthe operator has to do is push'the handle forward'as is done in a normalironing: operation. It is to be understood. that;

by the use of an overcenter snap spring mechanism in the mannerdescribed an extremely simple supporting device is provided that makespossible a construction which avoids the use of complicated manuallatching mechanisms heretofore conventionally employed.

While a particular form of theupresent invention has been shown, it.apparentthat minor changes may readily suggest themselves to othersskilled in the art without departing from the spirit. and scope of theinvention.

I claim:

l Incombination, a flatiron having a body with a. smooth bottom surfacemovable between a first position in which said surface is inclined withrespect We work surface and a second position in which said bottomsurface rests on said work surface, a support, means for pivotallymounting said support to the rear of said body, said support having aleg extending forwardly of theiron, said leg shaped to engage the worksur.-- face when the body is inclined in, said firstposition and beingdisposed above said bottom S111: face when the latter engages said work.surface and an overcenter snap spring system disposed between saidsupport and saidbody andhaving an: axis of maximum stress and positionsof. reduced stress disposed on either side of said axis of'maximumstress, said spring system comprising-spring means. connected to said.body and said support. and operable to maintain said support inapositionto: hold said body inclined with respect to the work surface inoneposition of .reducedstresst and operable to maintain said supportabove the: bottom surface of they body in the other position of reducedstress, said springjmeans' causing saidsupport to move with. a snapaction whensaid;

spring system passes in. either direction through its axis of maximum:stress, whereby when said.- iron is moved; from an. inclined positiontoward. the. worksurface said leg moves into its retractedposition with:a snapaction. 1

2; In combination, a sup-port formed-by. a. generally' U-shaped memberhaving a bridging portionand spacedrleg portions, a body having spacedrecesses formed on its bottom surface for receiving'said legsandbeingpivotally connected atone end to: said bridging portion, saidlegs: when dis.- posed in said recesses being.- substantially flush:with the bottom surface of the body, said body being movable upwardlyabout. the pivotal. con-- nection to a position in. which. they body isin-- clined" with respect to'the support and. downwardly from its latterposition to a position which the legs are retracted in their respectiverecesses, and an overcenter. spring system dis.

posed between said. bridging portion and said body including anovercenter spring stressed-be.-

. tween said bridging. portion and. said body, saida snap action'whenthe body is-movedupwardly upon moving the spring system overcenter in.one direction and operable tomove the legs tov their retracted positionwith a snap actionwhen thebody is moveddownwardly to move the spring 1system overcenter in the other direction.

clined. position to a position in which thebody rests on the worksurface, a support pivotally mounted at said one end of the body andarranged to engage the work surface when the body is inclined thereto tomaintain the body in its inclined position and retractable to a positionin which the support is disposed above the surface of the body engagingthe work surface and an overcenter snap spring system having an axis ofmaximum stress and positions of reduced stress on opposite sides of saidposition of maximum stress, said spring system being operable to holdsaid support in a position to maintain the body in an inclined positionwith respect to the work surface while in one position of reduced stressand to maintain the support above the work surface when the body restson the work surface and while said spring system is in the otherposition of reduced stress, said spring system arranged when the body ismoved upward through the axis of maximum stress to move said support toits position corresponding to the inclined position of said body with asnap action and when the body is moved downwardly through the axis ofmaximum stress to move the support to its retracted position with a snapaction.

4. The arrangement set forth in claim 3 including means for adjustingthe stresses in said spring system.

5. In combination, a support shaped to rest on a work surface, aflatiron overlying said support and being formed with a recess toreceive said support so that the latter may be disposed in asubstantially flush relation with the bottom of the flatiron, saidflatiron being movable upwardly about one of its ends to a position inwhich the bottom of the iron is inclined to said support and movabledownwardly from its upper position to a position in which the support isretracted'in said recess, a bracket rigidly mounted on said body andmovable in unison therewith between preselected positions, said brackethaving spaced opposed knife edges, one of said edges being pivotallyconnected with said support, a projection mounted on said support andextending to a position intermediate the spaced knife edges, acompression member disposed between said other knife edge and saidprojection, said bracket, compression member and projection forming asnap spring system having an axis of maximum stress whereby movement ofthe bracket to move the knife edge through the axis of maximum stress inone direction causes said flatiron and support to be moved outwardlyrelative to each other with a snap action and movement of the bracket inthe opposite direction to move the same knife edge through the axis ofmaximum stress causes said support and flatiron to be moved toward eachother with a snap action.

6. In combination, a support shaped to rest on a work surface, aflatiron overlying said support and being formed with a recess toreceive said support so that the latter may be disposed in asubstantially flush relation with the bottom surface of the flatiron,said flatiron being movable upwardly about one of its ends to a positionin which the bottom of the iron is inclined to said support and movabledownwardly from its upper position to a position in which the support isretracted in said recess, a bracket mounted on said flatiron, means forpivotally mounting said support on said bracket, a projection mounted onsaid support adjacent said pivotal mounting, a stressed spring memberhaving a connection with both said projection and said bracket andforming therewith a snap spring system having an axis of maximum stressand positions of reduced stress on either side of said axis, said springsystem being arranged so that movement thereof in one direction throughthe axis of maximum stress causes relative movement of said flatiron andsupport in a direction away from each other with a snap action andmovement thereof in the opposite direction through the axis of maximumstress causes relative movement of said flatiron and support in adirection toward each other with a snap action.

'7. The combination recited in claim 6 in which said projection'is in thform of an adjustable abutment for varying the stresses in the springsystem.

8. A flatiron comprising an ironing body, a support attached to saidbody for movement from a retracted position to an extended position inorder to support said body in an elevated position with reference to theironing work surface, power means connected to said support for biasingit to said extended position, said power means normally beingineffective to bias said support to said extended position when the ironis in its ironing position on the work surface and the support is insaid retracted position, and an element controlling said power means torender it effective to bias said support to said extended positionoperating responsively to the engagement of said element with said worksurface as said iron body is tilted upwardly with reference to said worksurface about a predetermined axis.

9. A flatiron comprising an ironing body, a support pivoted to said bodyfor angular movement on a predetermined axis from a retracted positionto an extended position in order to support said body in an elevatedposition with reference to the ironing work surface, a spring connectedto said support for operating it to said extended position, said springconnected thereto so that when said support is in said retractedposition said spring is positioned so that its force is nullified tooperate said support to said extended position, and means movable toshift said spring angularly to a position wherein its force becomeseffective to bias said support to said extended position, saidlast-named means being moved to cause said angular shift of said springby the engagement of said means with said work surface when said bodyis'manually tilted upwardly about said predetermined axis.

10. A flatiron comprising a body, a support connected to said body formotion with reference thereto from a retracted position to an extendedposition in order to support said body in an elevated position withreference to the ironing work surface, power operating meansinterconnecting said body and support biasing said support to saidretracted position or to said extended position depending upon therelative position of said support with referenc to aid body on one sideor the other of a critical position, and means connected with saidsupport engageable with said work surface when said body is inclinedupwardly from said work surface to hold said support and prevent upwardmovement thereof along with said body as said body continues to inclineupwardly and thereby cause said support and body to move with relationto each other from said one side of said critical position to said otherside thereof, whereupon said power means becomes effective to bias saidsupport to said extended position.

11. A flatiron comprising a body, a support for said body for holding itin a raised position above the work surface, said support being pivotedto said body: on'a transverse "axis at the, rear and extending forwardlytherefrom, andsaid support also being movable/from a. retracted;position with reference. to saidibody' to an extended: bodysupportingposition'wherein saidbody-is held in. araised position above theironinglworle surface, an over-center spring connected tosa'id'hOdy' andsupport operating when the: spring: is; on one side of a criticalposition to hold the support in said retracted position for normalironing operations and. operating to hold said. support: in saidextended position and hold said body-in. said raised position when the.spring is on the other side: of said critical position, and a triggerextending rearwardly from said. support: for; engagement with saidworksurface: when the forward end of said-:bodyis tilted upwardlymanually througha predetermined degree of movement: and for throwingsaid spring: over center from said one side to; said other side of saidcritical position, whereupon said spring is: rendered effective. to.support said body in: said raised position above said work surface. 1

12. Mechanism. for holding a fiatironin anonironing position:comprising; in. combination with the iron proper, a support pivotallyattachedto the iron and including a first portion engagoable withthesurface on, which the iron isysupported to; support the iron above saidsurface and a sec end: portion, and overcenter spring means actingbetween the iron: roper and said support and operative to movesaidzsupportv to a position to support said iron; in said. non-ironingposition upon. a preselected tilting movement of the iron about its rearedge to cause'said second portion to engage said surface and initiateovercenter movement of saidspring means, the .iron beingmovable to-said.ironing position by downward. manual pressure onv the iron; said springmeans automatically retaining said support ina positionso as'not tointerfere with said iron in said ironing position and movingto saidlast-mentioned positionin response to said: downward movementof theiron.

1 13'. A fiatiron lift for a flatiron having support means whichincludes a support member pivotally mounted on the fiatiron and movablebetween aretracted positioriand an iron supporting "posttion,:'saidsupport including 'a. first portion. errgageablei with the. surface onwhich the, iron is supported: tossupportthe iron. above said surface anda-secondportion, an overcenter snap spring; system acting between thesupport member and: the 'fiatiron, and arranged-to; effect snap movementof'the supportmember to said iron-sup.-

porting: position in response .to a slight upward.

tilting of. the iron about its rear edge to cause said second portion toengage said surface and. initiate overcenter movementfof' said snapspring system, and to. efiect snap. movement of: the, support-member-toits retracted position after a predetermined downward. movement of theiron from its raised position.

14'. A fiatiron lift comprising support means-for ing position to theinclined position, said overcenter snap spring system beingactuated inresponse to a slight downward movement of the iron when the latter is inits inclined position, said spring system including a member arranged tomove to a locking position at one side, of a center line to maintainsaid iron in said inclined elevated position and to a, retractedposition at the opposite side of said center line to permit normal useof" the iron.

' GEORGE BROWNING.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,286,284.. Kremer June 16, 1942 2,308,941; Stevenson Jan. 19,1943 'Iangeman et al. June 17, 1947

